The skin is the largest organ in the human body. It is living and breathing tissue that helps keep the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, cartilage and internal fluids protected. Stretch marks are an imperfection that can appear on the skin. The main areas that are affected include the stomach, thighs, breasts and butt.
Features
Stretch marks are known medically as "striae." They take place in the middle layer of the skin called the "dermis," and they appear as long lines that are red to purple in color. In some instances, the skin can also be indented. Although they can make you self conscious, they are not life threatening.
Causes
Collagen is a substance that gives skin its elasticity and suppleness. When this substance becomes damaged, it forms scar tissue in the dermis, and stretch marks then appear. When they first start out, they can be bright colored, but over time, they may fade to a silvery color and be less noticeable.
Risk Factors
People who are obese and lose a significant amount of weight in a hurry are candidates for having stretch marks. This is due to the skin getting stretched too far beyond its normal capacity. Women who are pregnant, teens who go through drastic weight changes with puberty and bodybuilders who gain excessive muscle mass are all prone to developing stretch marks as well.
Treatments
Unfortunately, stretch marks are not easy to get rid of. Treatments are designed to help fade them and make them blend in more with your existing skin color. Tretinoin cream is a treatment you can get from your doctor to help rebuild collagen and fade away existing stretch marks. Pulsed dye, excimer and fractional photothermolysis are all types of laser treatments that can be used to promote collagen and heal the scars that have taken place. Microdermabrasion is a process in which the skin gets blasted with tiny crystals of silicon dioxide to remove skin cells. New skin growth is promoted, and the stretch marks fade away.
Prevention/Solution
Stretch marks can be prevented by making some lifestyle adjustments. If you are a weight lifter, using lighter weights and doing higher reps can help prevent them. If you are pregnant, you can do your best to keep your weight gain in the recommended zone of 25 to 40 pounds. If you are normal weight, you can follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly to prevent excessive weight gain.
Misconceptions
Creams, oils, lotions and miracle formulas scatter the Internet with claims that they can reduce or remove stretch marks. But there is no actual proof that these are effective.
